


Seven days of Vacation

by Julia_Danse



Series: The Knight and the Paladin - A series of Oneshots [17]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Bobrov's Best Moonshine, Confessions, Dancing, Dugout Inn, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Hangover, Homeplate, Hooking up, Intimacy, Kissing, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Sex, Summer Rain, night sky, shower
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-19 12:47:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19974313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Julia_Danse/pseuds/Julia_Danse
Summary: Elder Maxson sent Paladin Danse and Knight Kathryn Kay to a well deserved vacation time.On their first evening a tiresome bartender wouldn't leave the Knight be and she showed him what she thought of it.





	1. Day 1, Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> This thing will have seven chapters, each explaining a day in their vacation time in Diamond City.

It was loud at the Dugout Inn. The majority of the patreons from the bar were already drunk and in no further state to have decent conversations. Kathryn and Danse sat in a far corner, trying to avoid the looks of the other guests. It was their off-time, Maxson had given both a full week of relaxation, and they decided to visit Diamond City. Nate and Piper were there too, dancing somewhere in the middle of the bar. Kathryn sighed out loud, wishing she was somewhere else. She looked through the room and was more and more disgusted by the people around her. Mostly although with one of the Bobrov brothers, Vadim. He didn’t try to hook up with her once, but _several_ times. She always declined in a gentle way but soon had enough of it.  
  
Danse always tried to intervene the man, but his subordinate was faster and pushed him behind her back every time. She knew that he only tried to protect her, but it was for the sake of all that she put Danse out of the way as fast as possible. She always used her most charming smile and Vadim left her for another hour, telling her that she only had to come to him if she needed anything. Kathryn stopped counting on how often she rolled her eyes that evening. Another hour had passed and the stubborn bartender came over again. Danse popped his knuckles and was standing up. A gentle pat on his bicep let him stop and he looked at the woman attached to the hand touching him. She shook her head “It’s not worth it.” He frowned and rose an eye brow “If you say so.”, he shrugged and sat back again. “Trust me on this one. I want to leave anyway.”  
  
“Aahh isn’t that my favorite most beautiful woman?”, Vadim said with open arms and a big smile which revealed yellow teeth. “Sorry Vadim, but we’re leaving now.”, she put on her charming smile again. “Oh you have no kiss for me?” Kat sighed and Danse glared at the man a vicious growl erupting from his chest. “No, Vadim.” Kat tried to walk past the bartender without getting embraced by him. She pulled Danse on his arm with her. “Not even a little goodnight smooch on the cheek?” “You know what? Sure, why not!” Vadim’s eyes glistened but instead of him Kat pulled Danse to her chest and gave him the most passionate kiss she was able to. “There you have it. Good night.” And she left the bar, tugging at the baffled Paladin’s arm.  
  
The air outside was fresh but still warm. With all it’s lights Diamond City wasn’t even dark at night. Kathryn kept walking until they were at Homeplate, a place she recently bought for visits at the city to meet up with Piper. Oh... Piper... Kat totally forgot about her friend when she stepped into the makeshift home, still full with old junk to scrap into more useful things. Although Danse had visited Homeplate before, he still stood outside, his face bright red and his eyes glossy and staring into the nothingness of his thoughts.  
  
“Uhm, earth to Paladin. Are you there?” She waved a hand in front of his face and he looked at her and blinked. “How did we get here?”, he just asked. Kat chuckled, realizing that the kiss must have completely wiped out his ability to think straight. “I almost dragged you here. You come in now or are you going to camp outside my door?” His face grew even hotter and he stepped inside without any further words. Kat closed the door behind them and flicked on the light. A couch with a table stood in front of them, behind the furniture were stairs leading to the double bed and the stairs there led to the roof. Kat also had a kitchen with a working refrigerator and on the other side of Homeplate was a bathroom. And that was were Kathryn was going. “Make yourself a home Danse.”, she said as she walked past him. He nodded.  
  
She closed the door behind her and sighed. A smug smile showed at her face as she thought how Vadim was looking when she kissed her CO. The smile grew even wider as she thought of that face he made after she kissed him. She loved that she was able to disarm him so easily. And so she had set a plan for the rest of the night. She looked into the mirror checking if she looked alright. She applied a little bit of eye liner and red lipstick. She fluffed up her hair a bit and then went back into the living room. Danse sat at the couch and heard her coming back. He looked up and gawked at her. “Wow...”, he whispered. Kat let out a small chuckle and put a strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
He stood up and his hand was at his neck immediately, where it rubbed the short hair. Kat walked over and turned on the radio. Slow music was playing and she came closer to the rooted Paladin. “Relax Danse. It’s our week off. Let’s do things we can’t do normally.” Her hands were on his biceps and she looked up into his brown eyes. He swallowed down a lump in his throat. “Like what?”, he then asked. “Like enjoying our quiet togetherness.”, she whispered. “Dance with me.” He look a little terrified but to his own surprise he began to move with her. Her hands were around his neck while he placed his on her waist. They slowly swayed back and forth and Kathryn smiled at him. It was warm and bright and he felt how the confidence in him began to wake.  
  
“You look beautiful.”, he said, looking into her blue pools. Her cheeks gained a rosy tint and she chuckled a bit. “Well, thank you. Where does that come from?”, she asked jokingly. Danse looked down with red ears and sighed. Kat moved closer to him and laid her head onto his chest. She had to smile as she heard the wild heartbeat of the man she was leaning on and wrapped her arms tighter around him. He copied her and closed his arms around her a bit more, not trying to squeeze her too much. He turned a bit stiff but Kat didn’t mind. She enjoyed the closeness they both shared at the moment. “Kathryn.”  
  
She looked up to him. “Yes?” His right hand slowly moved up to caress her left cheek. She closed her eyes sighing and melting into his touch. “Danse...”, she whispered. He softly stroke his thumb over her cheekbone. “Don’t... I’m really enjoying this.” Kat opened her eyes and met his gaze. It was hazy and his eyes flicked between hers. She couldn’t help but look at his lips as they slightly parted and his tongue darted out to wet them. She swallowed. “Kiss me.”, she whispered. They both leaned in, closing their eyes. First it was just a light brush of skin on skin. But then his lips collided with hers and the sensation exploded. She really could taste him now, not like in the Dugout, where she put on a show to get away from the bartender.  
  
It was slow and gently and they both had their mouths open, exploring each other with their tongues. Danse thought that Kathryn tasted like sweet nectar and enjoyed it very much. His left hand moved to her head, entwined in her hair and she sighed into the kiss. She pressed him further against her chest trying to gain as much body contact as possible. And suddenly the kiss grew needier. Like a dam was broken and they both began to roam each other. A moan escaped Kat’s mouth and from one second to the other Danse stopped abruptly and broke the kiss. They both catched their breath. “I... I’m sorry...” He let go of her and walked to the other side of the room. Kat looked after him, undecided if she should follow him or not. Why did he broke this moment..?  
  
Sadness overwhelmed her and she ran upstairs and opened the door to the roof. She stepped out and gently closed the door behind her, leaving Danse downstairs to his own thoughts. A panic closed around her throat and she desperately tried to breath. Tears pricked her eyes and her breathing was erratic. _Where does this come from?_ She asked herself. She sat down at the chair and began to take slow and deep breaths. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down as best as possible. Ten minutes later she was able to open her eyes again with steady breaths. “Are you okay?” His soft voice startled her.  
  
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude what ever that was.” He sighed. “It’s okay. I don’t even know what that was...” _When did he come out here?_ “Can I join you?”, he then asked. “Uhm... yeah why not.” Kat replaced the chair with a blanket where both sat down. They both were careful enough not to touch each other and it was awkward. They just kissed a few minutes ago and now they behaved like school kids. “It’s nice here.”, Danse said after an uncomfortable while of silence. “Yeah...”, Kat sighed. She shifted a little and laid back on her elbows, watching the light covered night sky. Danse still sat up, his arms leaned on his knees and eyes focused forward. He was lost in his thoughts again.  
  
A gentle touch brought him back. He looked down at the hand. He understood and also laid back one arm tugged under his head, the other resting on his chest. Kat came closer and placed her head on his arm, embracing Danse with one arm across his torso. She could feel how he was tensing up. “Relax. We’re not school kids on their first date.” She chuckled again. He sighed. He knew she was right and tried to relax himself. “Move your head.”, he said. She looked up at him, a questioning look on her face. He placed the arm she was resting on around her and tugged her head on his chest and hugged her to his side. Kathryn giggled and squealed. “That’s it.”, she said, the smile audible in her voice.  
  
And together they enjoyed the now comfortable silence. Soon Danse realized that Kathryn had fallen asleep. He softly trailed his fingertips over her arm and smiled. He could get used to this. And it was just their first night in the security of Diamond City, several were still to follow. Nate and Piper were long forgotten, the only thing that mattered was Kathryn and Danse. He promised himself to make this week the best time of their lives. And with a smile on his face he also fell asleep, dreaming of the woman sleeping on his chest.


	2. Day 2: Intimacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kat and Danse share an intimate day with each other.

Kathryn woke up in her bed and still had her clothes on. The blanket was gently tucked over her covering her in a cozy way. Danse was downstairs rummaging in her kitchen. She could hear him hum to the music from the radio. She yawned and then she smelled it. The corners of her mouth shot up and she grinned to herself. She couldn’t remember when the last time was that someone made breakfast for her. She stood up and changed her clothing from old and smelly to new and clean. She decided to wear shorts and a tank top and then went downstairs. She yawned and stretched her body. The rumbling of a falling pan made her jump and grip at her chest. “God, Danse!”, she shouted. He just stood there looking at her with a red neck and ears. She froze in place looking at him. Her eyes widened at the sight. He wore a pair of sweat pants and a muscle shirt. He rubbed the back of his neck and grabbed the pan from the floor.  
  
“G... good m... morning...”, he stammered out while he turned around to go and wash the pan. Kat watched how his muscles worked underneath his skin. Heat rose into her cheeks and she had to look away. “That smells amazing.”, she said trying to break the silence while she walked over to the table to sit down on the couch. Two cups of coffee already stood on the table and Danse came over with two steaming plates. His ears were still red as he sat down next to her and began to eat. He made scrambled eggs with a piece of radstag meat and razorgrain porridge. She took the first bite and her eyes glistened. “Wow... It’s amazing!”, she called out, flustering the man next to her even more. He mumbled out a small “Thank you” between two bites.  
  
After they finished their breakfast Danse cleared the table and also did the dishes. Kathryn was amazed by that. “Hey Danse, if you don’t mind, I’d go and take a shower now.”, she called over to him. “Take your time.”, he simply answered, back to her. She chuckled and came over to him. “You can come too if you want.” He looked at her with wide eyes and she winked at him. His face was crimson red and she laughed. “I’m just joking. Or not..?” She was so close to him now that she could whisper into his ear. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Only if you wish for it.” He turned around to her, grabbing her by the waist as he whispered into her ear now. A shower of goosebumps ran down her body. She glanced at him, his eyes were dark and full of emotion.  
  
He pressed her against his lap and she put her arms around his neck leaning in for a french kiss. His hands stroke the sides of her body while her hands were entwined in his thick hair. Kat pulled away as Danse gently lifted her top over her body and then her head. He tossed it aside smiling at the woman in front of him. She went back to kissing him, his hands carefully caressing her naked breasts. She sucked in a breath and smiled into the kiss. It was her turn now to put down his shirt. She took her sweet time feeling every muscle under it as she pulled it up and tossed it to her top. She needed to feel him, each and every centimeter of his skin and she trailed kisses where ever she touched him.“Let’s go get a shower...”, Kat whispered between kisses. “Mh-hmm”, Danse hummed slowly leading them both to their destination.  
  
Kat turned on the water. Before she was able to turn around, Danse stood behind her hugging her frame. He waved away her hair and kissed her neck down her spine. He tugged at her pants with his teeth and slowly pulled it down. His hands lingered on her thighs squeezing gently as he kept tugging down the fabric. A soft thud was audible as the pantie finally fell on the ground, revealing Kat’s apple like butt. She turned around and her eyes beamed. The bathroom was damp now, the air filled with hot steam. “Come on, pull down those boxers.”, Kat said stepping closer to Danse and playing with the rim of his underwear. She gently pulled it down and put it aside with her foot. The water was perfectly warm when she stepped under the shower stream. A bar of soap laid next to her in a small basket, a washcloth hanging there too.  
  
Danse stepped under the hot water too and took Kat into a gentle embrace. He kissed her slowly and deep rubbing his hands up and down her back in lazy movements. Her hands were on his chest, playing with the soft hair there. He chuckled “You’re tickling me.” “I’m sorry...”, Kat breathed between two kisses. Danse broke the kiss and had the washcloth in hand. “Turn around.”, he said. Kat did as she was told, delicately moving her hips, ‘accidentally’ bumping into him. He chuckled again and gently began to wash her arms, then her back down to her butt, leaving trails of foam. He knelt down to clean one and then the other of her legs, tickling her in between her toes. She wiggled them and laughed. “Guess I’ll never be this clean between my toes again.”, she joked. Danse only hummed putting the washcloth between her thighs cleaning the skin there. Kat turned around and he moved on her stomach. She looked down at him and smiled as he looked up. Danse stood up again, gently brushing over her breasts and the sensitive nipples. Kat couldn’t contain a soft moan because of the sweet irritation. He looked her in the eyes, now forgetting what he was doing and kissed her passionately.  
  
“Let me return the favor.”, Kat said and Danse nodded. She did the same to him, moving from arm to arm and then his back. She needed to stand on her toes to wash him properly. She enjoyed how the muscles underneath the washcloth felt, twitching, tensing and relaxing. Then she washed his legs and moved on to his torso. The fine hairs on his chest bubbled up a soft layer of foam on his skin and Kat put the washcloth away. Her hands were roaming his chest, spreading the foam everywhere. Danse looked down at her and smiled. He hugged her and whispered a soft thank you. He held her for a while, water dripping down between them cleaning off the soapy foam. Kat leaned into him with her eyes closed enjoying his skin on hers.  
  
After showering they got dressed in rather cozy clothing. It was warm and they both decided to go with shorts and sleeveless shirts. It was almost a partner-look thing and they laughed at each other. “So, what are you up to, today?”, Danse asked Kat. “Oh, nothing special. Just wanted to check in on Piper. You wanna join?” She looked at him while she swirled a strain of hair around her finger. “I’d like to join you, yes.” “Awesome! We could do a pick-nick then with them” Kat was jumping and smiling. She went and rummaged through all the scrap lying around and found a basket which she then cleaned and filled with a variety of goodies. Danse couldn’t help but chuckle and grab Kat as she almost ran past him and peppered her with kisses. She smiled to herself.  
  
Ten minutes later they stood in front of Publick Occurences knocking at the door. Nate opened and yawned. “What are you doing here?”, he asked sleepily. Kat held up the basket, wide smile on her face and said “Taking you and Piper for a little pick-nick.” Nate let them in and they sat down on the couch. “Piper’s still in bed, but I’ll get her.”, he then said and yawned again. “No need to Nate. I’m going to get her myself.” Kat had a mischievous grin on her face and walked upstairs. She stood in front of the bed and inhaled. “PIPER! WAKE UP!” Danse and Nate jumped. Piper screamed and almost punched her friend which stood a few meters away from the bed laughing. Piper’s hair stood in all directions and she looked angry. “Sorry Pipes, it had to be done one day. Get your ass ready, we’re going our for a pick-nick.” Kat left and went downstairs to join the men on the couch.  
  
She let herself flop down next to Danse leaning against him. His face went red immediately but Kat didn’t see it. But Nate saw and stifled a laugh and Danse shook his head at the other man. It took Piper ten minutes to get out of bed. “Oh, you meant it when you said we’re going for a pick-nick.”, she said facing her friend. “Yeah, so let’s go.” Kat stood up, grabbed the basket and opened the door. The other three followed her and they left Diamond City. Kat found a safe place behind a half collapsed house. She spread out a blanket and sat down. The others followed her and she handed them bottles of Nuka Cola. A soft breeze blew around them cooling down the warm air. The glasses they held were clanking together and they cheered to a beautiful day.  
  
They talked a lot about everything. Kat wished she went home first to go and get Dogmeat. She was sure he’d enjoy a lazy day too. It made her a little sad for the canine but she also thought that he busied himself with chasing molerats and bloatflies. And yet she had to smile again. Danse saw the change in her face and grabbed her hand to get her attention. “Kathryn, is everything okay?”, he asked softly. She looked at his warm chocolate eyes and nodded. “Yeah I was just thinking of Dogmeat, that’s all.”, she then answered and intertwined her fingers with his. “I’m sure he’s doing great.”, Danse then said and smiled hat Kat. Nate and Piper were already deep in a conversation while the other two just stared at each other in silence. Danse rubbed his thumb over Kat’s hand trying to comfort her a little. She smiled at the gesture. “Thank you.”, she whispered while they still stared at each other. They didn’t notice that Nate and Piper got quiet until the reporter chuckled. “Someone’s madly in love here.” And then she laughed. Both Danse and Kat went completely red and looked away but their hands were still entwined.  
  
“God I’m hungry.”, Nate stated to break the uncomfortable silence. “Kat, what did you pack for us?” she let go of Danse’s hand and rummaged through the basket. She pulled out a bunch of Mutfruits and Tarberries, Sugar Bombs and other stuff. They ate most of the fruits and cereals when Kat pulled out a box of Fancy Lad’s Snack Cakes. Danse’s eyes glistened at the pack of sweets. Kat knew how much he loved them and put the box in his hands. “Here, I know how much you love them.” Then she pulled out another one handing it to Nate and Piper.  
  
Kat yelped in surprise as Danse lifted her into his lap glancing into her eyes. “You’re too good for this world...” With these words he caressed her face and pulled her into a deep kiss. Kat responded with caressing his face too and leaning on him. Her hair covered their faces with a veil of brown curls. Piper wanted to say something but Nate stopped her. “Let them be” he whispered “they need it.” She didn’t argue and found herself happy with the situation. Kat was relieved that Danse broke out of his shy demeanor, forgetting that her friends were there too _and watching_. She sighed into the kisses she and Danse shared, feeling happy. “What have I done to deserve this..?”, she asked after they broke the kiss, searching they eyes of the man she felt so close to. He smiled at her, gently stroking one of her cheeks. He gave her a last kiss before she turned around leaning her back against his chest.  
  
It was late afternoon when the four friends walked back to Diamond City and parting down at the stairs after they made out that they later met at Power Noodles for dinner. Even at the evening it was still warm and a light breeze blew through the streets. Both women wore summer dresses while the men wore casual jeans and black shirts. They sat down in front of the robot and ordered 4 cups of noodles. They laughed and ate their noodles, enjoying them so much that all four ordered a second bowl. Danse ate so fast, Nate and Piper almost dropped their spoons while watching him. Kat was fast too, but she still tried to enjoy the taste before she gulped the food down completely. She choked on one of the noodled and had to cough. Danse immediately set down his spoon and gently patted her on the back. He also ordered a bottle of Nuka Cola for her.  
  
After finishing their meal the four friends went to the Dugout Inn again. But this time it was different. Sure, Vadim tried to get Kat’s attention again, but this time, Danse pulled her into his side one arm wrapped around her and walked past the bartender. Nate ordered their drinks while the others sat down. “Ugh... Next time I want to go to Goodneighbor...” Kathryn spilled half of her drink and Nate and Piper looked in disbelief. Danse only shrugged after his statement and sipped on his beer. “What? The music’s better and no one’s going on your nerves there.” They all nodded in agreement.  
  
Vadim didn’t try his advances again and the evening wasn’t that bad at all. The music was good and the four friends danced with each other. They laughed and had a lot of fun. Danse ordered the second round of drinks and they cheered at each other. Then Kat and Piper at last. Instead of ordering everyone the drink they drank before, Piper ordered two bottles of Bobrov’s Best Moonshine. Needless to say that they were wrecked after they finished the two bottles. They still made it home in one piece, Kat and Danse heading to Homeplate and Nate and Piper back to Publick Occurences.  
  
Kat closed the door behind them, biting her lower lip when she walked over to Danse, peppering him with kisses. Together they walked upstairs where they undressed and then headed to bed. They cuddled up at each other smiling and kissing lazily before they fell asleep.


	3. Day 3: Hangover, rain and lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The soldiers wake up feeling terrible.  
> Kat is dancing in the rain and confesses something important.  
> She's determined to do something.

Throbbing. Tiny pings of rain sounded like the firing of a mini gun in close quarters. The thunder that roared outside felt like the explosion of an A-bomb. It was already noon when they woke up. Kat went out of bed and straight to the bathroom. Sounds of vomit splashing against ceramic were audible and then the toilet flushed. She washed out her mouth as best as possible before she walked into the kitchen groggily and grabbed four bottles of water and a strip of chewing gum and some painkillers. She went back upstairs, Danse looked at her with half lidded eyes. “I wish that Piper feels as terrible as me...”, he said so low it was almost a whisper. He held a hand to his head and closed his eyes. “Me too.”, Kat said, voice hoarse from puking. She handed him two of the bottles and the painkillers. He thanked her and gratefully popped two of the tiny pills into his mouth. He gave the rest back and Kat also took two pills.  
  
The chewing gum was a welcomed taste in Kat’s mouth. It tasted like peppermint and cleared her head a bit. She crawled back into the bed and cuddled up to Danse, who was leaning at the head end of the bed, gulping down the second bottle of water. Kat drank one and left the second for later. Danse had wrapped an arm around her and slowly they both drifted off into sleep again. It was four hours later when both woke up again, feeling much better and hungry. They both got up, putting on only shirts and then went down into the kitchen. Kat cooked up three packs of Mac and Cheese and added a little bit of meat to it. It was a hearty meal she served two bottles of Nuka Cola with. The radio was running and Travis talked about the still ongoing storm outside. “Guess we’ll have nothing better to do today then staying inside, mh?” Kat looked up in the honest face of Danse. She grinned because he couldn’t contain that look and smirked.  
  
They cleaned their dishes and flopped down onto the couch afterwards. They listened to the radio for a while dozing off to the soft tunes to _The end of the world_. Suddenly Kat jolted up and ran out of the door. Danse jumped at her sudden behavior and ran after her. He almost bumped into her as she danced outside in the rain and laughed. She grabbed him by the hands and swung him around in circles. The rain on his skin was warm and he could feel how Kat’s happiness grew on him too. He laughed with her and hugged her, totally not minding that they stood there just in their underwear. Kat looked at him smiling bright “This is the best day in my life.” and then she laughed and kissed him. The rain was pouring down on them but they didn’t mind. They just stood there making out in the rain like there was no tomorrow.  
  
Something changed. It was only in the time span of a second, but suddenly she cried. “Kathryn, what’s wrong?”, Danse asked after they stopped kissing each other. She held his face in her hands. “Danse... don’t you notice?”, she said looking away now. He sighed and slightly shook his head. “What do you mean?” He held her at her shoulders looking at her worried. “I am falling for you. And I’m afraid that this time we share right now won’t last forever.” She sobbed into his chest as he hugged her tight to it. “Let’s go back inside, won’t we?”, Danse softly said and he began to move her back into her home. He sat her down onto the couch and went into the bathroom to fetch a towel.  
  
He came back and Kat stood in front of him, naked. He tried to wrap the towel around her but she refused. Tears still threatened her eyes, but her look was determined. Kat grabbed Danse at the collar of his wet shirt and smashed her lips on his. She was needy and he replied the same way. She wouldn’t give him time to think and pulled on the shirt to get rid of it. And directly after she pulled off Danse’s shorts and dragged him upstairs to the bed. God she was hungry for him... She threw him on the bed and slowly crawled on him leaving marks of kisses on his body. Danse grabbed Kat by the waist as she nibbled and sucked on the crook of his neck, leaving small hickeys. She looked into his eyes, the hunger for her in them shone bright and she kissed him again, hard this time.  
  
They didn’t waste time with much of a foreplay and went straight to the act itself. Kat readied herself on the tip of Danse’s cock and slowly began to descent. She gave herself the sweet time of adjusting around him, a sweet sigh escaping her lips when she finally began to roll her hips against him. A low growl erupted from his chest when the wetness of her folds embraced him. He grabbed her breasts and kneaded them like dough, flicking her nipples and she cried out. She rocked against him faster and he began to move with her deepening the thrusts. Kat leaned down to kiss him and he took over the lead. He sped up and Kat came immediately.  
  
“Switch”, Danse only said as he flipped her around, she was wrapping her legs around his waist. She looked at him, eyes hazy but glistening. Beads of sweat appeared at her forehead mixing up with the water in her hair. He slowly but deeply thrusted inside her enjoying how she fully captured his length inside her and smiled. He kept that pace for a while before he began to thrust harder at the same speed. Kat moaned his name scratching his back and leaving red marks on his skin. It only drew him wilder and he quickened up the pace. He kissed her collarbone before he sucked on it making the skin there sensitive. He could feel how Kat was bucking up underneath him and she cried out louder than before as she came the second time.  
  
Her eyes widened as he still kept going, chasing after his own release. But instead of getting faster he put it to a more romantic level. Danse looked deep into Kathryn’s eyes before he kissed her passionately. She melted into it and wrapped her arms around him, pressing him onto her chest. He trailed down from her lips over her jawline to her neck, gently kissing her soft skin. Goosebumps covered her and she shuddered at every touch. They glanced at each other and Kat saw a spark in Danse’s eyes and she smiled. Now she knew that he truly felt the same without needing any words to tell. The need to tell him something important popped up anyway but she kept it for herself. She knew that she had fallen a long time for him.  
  
It was the final kiss and Kat came a third time, finally feeling how Danse also shuddered and he sighed as he collapsed on her. They kept lying like this for a long while. Kat had wrapped her arms around him to keep him in place after he slightly slid down to her side. He had an arm placed around her chest underneath her breasts and nuzzled his head between her arm and head. His eyes were closed while he focused on his breathing. It slowly went back to normal and soon he drifted off into another doze. Kat laid her head on his and followed him with a big smile on her face.


	4. Day 4: Pancakes and Red Rocket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danse and Kathryn share a sweet breakfast, then they visit Hardware Town.  
> Kat wants to go home because she misses Dogmeat.

Kat woke up freezing. She remembered how she was falling asleep. A smug smile appeared on her face. Danse still laid beside her snoring softly and mumbling in his sleep. She gave him a soft kiss on the forehead before she stood up and put on a fresh shirt. She went down into the kitchen. Today she wanted to be the one making breakfast for them. She made pancakes from brahmin milk and razor grain flour and added a pinch of sugar. She had a saucepan on the stove where she caramelized sugar and a piece of butter into a creamy caramel sauce. A pinch of salt brought out more of the flavor. She heard Danse yawning and made some freshly brewed coffee.  
  
He came downstairs with nothing more than shorts. He rubbed his eyes and his hair was hanging into his face. “Good morning handsome.”, Kat greeted him with a shy smile after she flipped another pancake. Danse came to her and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Good morning to you too.”, he said and grabbed both cups of coffee. He sat down on the couch and looked how Kat flipped the last pancake out of the pan. She came over with three plates, two empty and the third filled with the pancakes. She put a saucer on the table and brought the saucepan with the caramel sauce. Danse put four pancakes at once on his plate, covering them with the brown gooey sauce.  
  
Kat did the same and as they both took the first bite they squealed. It was a long time since Kat last ate pancakes. She looked at Danse who was completely somewhere else. “Danse, are you okay?”, she said, a brow furrowed. He blinked and looked at her. “Wha..? Yes, yes I am. It’s just that it’s been a long time since I ate something this delicious.” He sighed. Kat smiled at him “Then feel free to eat as much as you can stomach.” and took another bite. Soon all plates were empty and Danse had a little pancake belly. Kat softly patted it and asked jokingly “What do you think it’ll be? A boy or girl?” and laughed. Danse leaned back into the couch and couldn’t contain the burp erupting from his stomach. He held a hand to his mouth and went red. Kat only laughed and said “Bless you.”  
  
The day was clear and warm. The rain from yesterday let the air smell fresh and earthy, just like petrichor. Kat grew to that smell and Danse loved it anyway. It always put a smile on his face. Today they went to Arturo at Commonwealth Weaponry to buy all his fusion cells and one or two modifications for their laser rifles. Kat paid for everything. Danse felt a little ashamed because of that, but he wanted to return the favor no matter what or how. Then they walked back to Homeplate to stuff away the cells and mods and went for a little stroll around Diamond City. They walked past the marketplace, Valentine’s Detective Agency, the water purifier and even the trailer of Diamond City Radio. Abbot at the wall wanted them to fetch more green paint. First they declined but Danse thought it would be nice to help him out.   
  
They grabbed a bit of gear and made their way to Hardware Town. Raiders had used the place as some sort of base and they needed to eliminate them. Kat found them while she crouched through the old store searching for the green paint and heard them talking. Danse nodded and they both aimed at their foes. Before the raiders were able to open fire they all laid dead on the floor. “What was that?” they heard another raider ask. He came around a corner and faced at the barrels of their rifles. Before he could pull his own trigger Kat shot a laser between his eyes. He vaporized immediately.  
  
Kat and Danse moved downwards where Kat finally found some paint; and more raiders. One was looking her way and shot with her pipe pistol. She hissed when the bullet hit her shoulder. Danse had to ran past her to eliminate the woman with quick shots between the eyes. He put his rifle aside and walked over to Kat. “let me see if it went through.”, he said already working on her shirt to pull it off. He gently put her arm through the sleeve and looked at her back. “Shit, it’s still inside.”, he muttered. “I need to remove it before I can give you a stimpak. This is going to hurt.” He then went through his bag and searched for the med-kit. Kat only shook her head when he came over with alcohol, tweezers and a stimpak.   
  
He disinfected the wound and the tweezers and began to search for the bullet. Kat screamed of pure agony and almost passed out before Danse pulled out the bullet. He quickly brushed off the blood dripping from the wound and administered the stimpak. Then he bandaged her up and helped her back into her shirt. “I only see blue and yellow paint. If we want green we need to mix it.”, she then said through gritted teeth. Danse only nodded and filled the two colors in a mixer. He pushed a button and the machine came to life. It shook and mixed the two colors and as it stopped the green paint flowed into a bucket. Kat wanted to take the bucket but Danse stopped her. “I’m going to take it. Just watch our backs until we’re back in the City.” Kat huffed and nodded. What else could she do with an injured shoulder.  
  
The walk back gladly was uneventful and Abbot was more than happy to see that they also mixed the right shade of green. He gave the caps to the duo which didn’t ask for it. They wanted to decline but Abbot insisted that they took it anyway. They both thanked the man and made their way to Dr. Sun. He looked at the wound and said it looked good for that it just happened ‘mere moments ago’. Kat sighed in relief as the doc said she only had to keep it low for a few days and then could do whatever she wanted. She could feel her stomach rumble and longingly she looked over at Power Noodles. “Kathryn, do you want something to eat?”, Danse asked her. She looked at him, eyes glistening and nodded.   
  
They walked over to Takahashi and ordered two bowls of his noodles and two bottles of Nuka Cola. Danse paid this time and Kat thanked him with a quick peck on the lips. She ate the noodles faster than Danse. He just looked at her as she wiped her mouth and then emptied a bottle of Nuka Cola. She still surprised him anew each and every day... And he remembered what she had said to him the night before, out in the rain. _“I am falling for you. And I’m afraid that this time we share right now won’t last forever.”_ If he had to be honest, and he was _always_ honest, he definitely had fallen for her a long time ago. He also remembered the spark in her eyes, while they had sex... He was sure it was the same he felt and he knew that he needed to confess to her before they had to return to the Prydwen.  
  
He sighed. “You okay there?” Kat startled him out of his thoughts. “Yes I am...”, he said a bit sad. She hugged him from the side and leaned her head onto his shoulder. “Come let’s go home.”, she then softly said. They slowly strolled back to Homeplate. Kat sat down onto the couch rubbing at her shoulder. Danse walked behind her and gently massaged her neck and shoulders. She sighed in relief and relaxed into his touch. “I could massage you better upstairs.”, Danse stated rubbing his thumbs into her skin. Kat agreed and moved upstairs and he followed her. She took off her shirt and laid down. Danse gently crawled on the bed and sat down onto her butt and continued the massage.   
  
His hands wandered down her back with light pressure. He kept massaging her for at least half an hour before he began to leave trails of kisses on her skin. She responded with a hum. Danse got up and Kat turned around. She tucked at his shirt and he sat down onto her lap leaning down to kiss her. His hands were besides her head and hers still clung at his shirt. He sat up to take it off and leaned down again. They stayed like that for some minutes before Danse broke the kiss and laid down next to her. “I think we should go back to Red Rocket.”, Kat said out of the blue. Danse laid on his side facing her. She still laid on her back, facing the ceiling. “I miss Dogmeat...”, she then sighed out. “Then we are going back to Red Rocket.”  
  
They had packed all their belongings and were ready to move out. Danse was eager to go back, he said he missed his power armor. Piper and Nate were there to say goodbye. Kat hugged her friends and shed a few tears. “Greet the mutt from us and give him all the cuddles.”, Piper ordered. Kat nodded and smiled. Piper then hugged Danse and Nate shook his hand. They left Diamond City shortly after noon. If the weather stayed this clear they could make a lot of ground.   
  
They had walked the whole day and finally at dawn the red colored rocket of the station came into view. Excited barks echoed through the air and Dogmeat came running. Kat almost dropped her stuff just to hug the canine but she needed to keep moving. Her feet would kill her if she’d stop now. So she kept walking and Dogmeat walked right next to her waiting for her to pet him. They finally arrived at the station and Kat put her stuff down in the middle of the garage. She sat down and let Dogmeat lick over her face. She was tired but laughed and petted the dog all over his body. He even ran over to Danse and stood on his hind legs to give the tall man some licks to the face. Danse sighed but he had to admit that somehow he missed the dog.  
  
Kat still sat at the ground unable to move. She looked up at Danse pleading “Can you please lift me up? I can’t walk anymore...” He chuckled when he scooped her up and brought her to the double sized bed. She thanked him and undressed herself before she rolled up into a ball and fell asleep immediately. Danse also undressed himself and cuddled next to her. He wrapped an arm around her and he too fell asleep fast. And so both didn’t know that a young mercenary was around trying to speak with Kathryn about what happened before...


	5. Day 5: Night and a goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kat and RJ talk to each other.  
> Danse refuses to comfort her.

Dogmeat barked in the middle of the night. Kathryn was awake immediately. She stood up and grabbed her laser rifle and flicked the safety off and went outside. Dogmeat faced the roof when Kat stood beside him and ruffled his fur. "Come down before I shoot you!" Kat shouted up to the roof. Rustling was audible and she heard how someone came down. "Okay, okay. But please, don't shoot me again." Kat's eyes widened in shock. "RJ?", she called out "What are you doing here?" He walked around the corner of the station and was greeted by the growling canine and a baffled Kathryn. She told the dog that it was fine and he licked her hand, huffed and trotted aside. 

"Your dog spooked the shi- the crap out of me.", MacCready said adjusting the hat on his head. "Eh, he's guarding my home when I'm not around. That's what he's supposed to do with intruders." Like he wanted to give his opinion too, Dogmeat sneezed and shook his fur. MacCready huffed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "But honestly, what are you doing here?", Kat asked the mercenary again. "I need to talk with you.", he then answered, looking down at the ground.

Before they were able to say something else Danse stood behind Kathryn. A low growl erupted from his chest and both, Kat and MacCready jumped at the sound. Not again... Kat thought when Danse took a step forward. MacCready put up his hands in defense and also to show that he was unarmed. "Hey, I just want to talk with her.", he said looking at the angry Paladin. Kathryn turned around with pleading eyes looking at Danse hoping he'd keep his cool. He looked at her and finally he nodded. Kat sighed and gave him a small kiss on the cheek before she walked over to MacCready to walk away a few meters.

They heard the door shut loudly after Danse went back inside. Dogmeat had followed Kathryn and now sniffed at MacCready's duster. He then licked the young man's hand and nuzzled at him. It would have been funny if there wasn't that nagging feeling in Kat's mind about the upcoming talk. They both sat down in the dust and Dogmeat made himself cozy in the middle of both. The young man cleared his throat and sighed. A pained look was plastered on his face and he didn't know how to begin. "I'm sorry." He looked up. Kathryn's eyes held sadness. "Why?", MacCready then asked. She looked at him, gnawing on her lip. "Danse. How the treated you. It wasn't his right to storm into that room we shared..." She looked away ashamed.

The young man wasn't able to control himself when he grabbed Kathryn and pulled her into a hug. First she just sat there not responding. She just slowly returned the embrace and hugged him back. Dogmeat looked up at them his tail wagging a little before he dropped his head down and huffed. "I know.", he said voice muffled through Kat's hair "But it was inevitable." He squeezed her stronger before he let go of her. She pulled her legs under her chin and rested her arms on her knees, looking at MacCready. "But that's not the reason why I'm here." "Why then?", she asked. "Remember when I told you that I wanted to kiss you since Mass Pike?" Kat nodded. "Well, turns out I feel more for you than I'd expected..." His legs were crossed and he fidgeted with his fingers in his lap. 

"Oh...", Kat only said. Shit! "I don't know what to say..." MacCready studied her face in the moonlight. Her eyes were blank as she stared holes into the air. Kat felt pity for him. She liked him yeah, but not as much as she liked Danse. And she was sure that if she'd ever agree to be friends with the mercenary, that it would hurt him. And Danse, that she was sure, wouldn't like that fact; he would hate it! She sniffed as tears pricked at her eyes, still not knowing what to say. MacCready came closer and tried to wipe away her tears. He caressed one of her cheeks and she closed her eyes and cried. "I'm so so sorry...", she sobbed, repeating herself. "Hey, hey... What's the problem anyway?", he softly asked.

She looked up at him, taking his hand he caressed her with in hers. "I'm in love with Danse." Dogmeat sensed Kathryn's sadness and whined. She could see how something in the young man broke. "I should have known that...", he simply said and looked away. He pulled back his hand and let it fall down into his lap. A pearly tear glistened at one of his cheeks. Kat saw it before he wiped it away. He stood up and brushed himself off. "Do you regret what happened?", MacCready then asked. He had a hardened look on his face now. Kathryn also stood up and shook her head. "No, not a single second." "But why do I feel like crap now?", the young man asked loudly. Kat took a breath. "You were there for me when no one else was. You made me laugh in a very sad time. You helped me with my loneliness!", Kat shouted. She shook her head and let out a breath. "I wish we could be friends. But I'm sure that it will hurt you..."

"You're the only one caring about me, you know that?", MacCready said in a normal volume now. "I would be glad if we were friends. But I guess you're right. It would hurt me... Not to talk about that walking Tin Can of yours..." Kathryn chocked down a laugh. "I guess this is goodbye now?", she then asked."Yeah..." Kathryn walked to MacCready and caressed his face in her hands. She looked at him with glistening eyes from the tears still pooling. "Goodbye Robert, we will meet again..." She gave him one last goodbye kiss, putting the emotions of a last thank you into it. He returned the kiss as passionate as Kat. Without any other word she broke off and walked back inside, Dogmeat at her heels. "Goodbye Kathryn. We will meet again...", MacCready whispered and turned around to leave.

Before she was able to close the door Danse stood in front of her, a disappointed and pained look on his face. He didn't know how to feel when he saw the tear stains on her face and she still cried. She wanted him so bad to hug her, but didn't know if it was wise to take a step forward. "What was that?", he asked, voice filled with sadness. "It was goodbye.", she answered. She took a small step forward, trying to embrace Danse but he took a step back. Kat sucked in a sharp breath and felt a pang in her heart. She let he arms fall down and lookec away and cried. Then he finally stepped aside to let her in completely. She walked straight to her bed, throwing herself on it and covering her trembling body with the blanket. She cried herself to sleep. Dogmeat cuddled up to her.

Danse suppressed a sigh and made his way to the couch. He knew it would be better if they'd slept apart from each other. He needed the space to think. He still couldn't forgive her nor himself for what had happened. But he tried to work it out in his mind. It was his fault that she slept with that mercenary. He wouldn't have minded if she said that she regretted it. Why did he mind anyway? They were in no relationship. But it hurt him still the same like they were. And finally he let out that sigh. He laid down on the couch, tugging one arm under his head and the other laid on his chest and fell asleep.


	6. Day 6: Confessions and preparation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kathryn and Danse speak about the past and get ready for their return to the Prydwen.

The last day before they had to return was the coldest so far. Not from the weather, it was just as nice as the days before, warm and sunny. But the mood between the two was icy. Kathryn had woken up with red and puffy eyes. She laid in bed cuddled up to Dogmeat who was more than happy for the affection she gave him. Although her stomach rumbled she didn't get up to eat something. She only tried as best not to look like awake and only was up once to get to the toilet. A look in the mirror made her cry silent tears again and she felt terribly bad. Dogmeat stretched once and pressed himself against her torso.

Danse was up and outside doing his workout. He already woke up at 5am and couldn't fall asleep again. He sighed a bit before he went outside. He looked at the sleeping form of Kathryn and sadness overcome him. He needed to apologize before it was too late, to tell her how much she meant to him, that he would carry her on his hands. He believed her when she said that it was a goodbye last night. He saw how the young man walked away with a hanging head. He didn't mean to be an ass to Kathryn, but he managed to be one anyway. He pushed himself harder today until his muscles went sore and he collapsed onto the ground panting. He kept lying there trying to calm his breath and the trembling of his body. 

Kathryn looked up to see that Danse wasn't there. She stood up and finally gave in to her hunger. She ate a few Sugar Bombs and stared into the nothingness of her numb thoughts. She wasn't able to feel anything right now. It was like a trance when her feet decided to walk her to one of her cabinets and her hands opened the door to grab out the pack of cereals. Her stomach growled and she stopped eating. She saw from the corner of her eye that Danse was outside doing his workout. She felt like she needed to vomit and put away the cereals and returned back into her bed. Her heart ached for the comfort only a human being could give her now. Dogmeat looked at her with his sparkly golden eyes and nuzzled his nose into her face. She kissed the German Shepherd and dug her hands into his thick fur.

Danse finally was able to stand up again and dusted himself off. He went back inside on wobbly feet and made his way to the bathroom. He sighed when the hot water connected with his skin and leaned against the shower wall. The water made his hair stick to his forehead. Droplets dripped down onto his face and he rubbed it. He grabbed the bar of soap and began to wash himself. Heat rose into his face as he remembered how he had showered with Kathryn at Homeplate. She was so gentle with him, like he was as fragile as porcelain. He didn't want to miss this, he loved the intimacy they shared, it felt like home...

She heard him shower. A book laid next to her on the night stand, she grabbed it and began to read. Danse came out of the bathroom wearing nothing than a towel. Kathryn acted like she didn't see it and kept staring at the book in her hands. She tried hard to read it and failed miserably. "You're awake.", Danse said in a monotone, standing in the middle of her home looking at her. It was hard for her to act neutral. She laid the book down revealing her look. Danse's gaze dropped at her sight. She looked as terrible as he felt, he thought. She didn't need to say a word and he moved on to get dressed. Kat put up the book again and shook her head, the corners of her mouth hanging low. 

Dogmeat scratched at the door and whined. He needed to get out to pee, or what ever he needed to do outside. Kathryn stood up and let him out. The canine paced out like an arrow and was gone into the bushes. Again she shook her head. The door was still open to let in some fresh air. A breeze catched Kathryn's hair and tousled it. A gentle hand put the wild strains of hair out of her face. A worried Danse stood in front of her. "Can we talk?", he asked. She looked at him slightly nodding. They both sat down at the couch Danse was sleeping on at night. Kathryn didn't need to smell the cushion, his scent lingered in the air, and somehow it gave her comfort. She relaxed herself a little.

"I want to tell you that I'm sorry.", Danse said not beating around the bushes. "And I wanted to tell you that it hurt seeing you kiss that... civilian..." He looked at her, the hurt in his eyes shot daggers right into Kathryn's heart. Her eyes got watery and her lower lip quivered. "He told me that he fell in love with me.", she said quietly. "And I told him that he and me would never happen. He asked me the same you did before, if I regret what I have done. I told him the same I told you. I said no." Kathryn took in a breath and two tears fell down onto her cheeks. "I told him that I love someone else. And I told him goodbye." Danse's mimic went from worried to something else. She couldn't tell which emotion it held besides hurt. 

Danse didn't need to ask Kathryn what she meant. She threw herself into his chest and cried bitterly. He gently wrapped his arms around her and waited for her to calm down. It took several minutes before she finally stopped crying. "My worry was indeed correct.", she then said and sniffed. She looked up into Danse's brown pools, desperation clinging at her. "Danse, I was right!" He knew exactly what she meant. He kissed her forehead as a sign of understanding, and also as a promise. "Kathryn, I know that I am being an ass to you, but I promise I will never hurt you." Her eyes flicked between his. "I don't care if we have to go back tomorrow. I want to you know that you make me feel like I'm home no matter where we are. As long I have you by my side."

He sighed. "Look, I enjoyed the last few days very much. You showed me that there can be more than the Brotherhood of Steel, so much more. You opened my eyes on something very specific..." Kathryn's eyes widened. Danse caressed her left cheek with his right hand and looked deep into her eyes. "You told me that you are falling for me... I thought about that. And I found myself had fallen for you a long time ago..." Kathryn closed her eyes. A tear found it's way down her cheek. She opened her eyes again. "Then we are both lost...", she said and crushed her lips on his. Danse was overwhelmed by her sudden reaction and needed a moment to kiss her back. They both sighed into the kiss. It was passionate and slow, relieving. 

They spend the rest of the day cuddled up on the couch. The sun was setting already. It was not easy for him but Danse had to get up and maintain their power armors and weapons. Kathryn followed him into the garage where her backpack still laid on the floor. She put it aside and then began to clean her weapons. They worked in comfortable silence for hours. The power armors were wired up and ready, fresh fusion cores laid next to them on the desk. Their weapons shimmered in the neon lights of the garage. They both yawned and put away their tools. The duo cleaned their hands, ate a bit and then went to cuddle up in bed. "Good night Danse.", Kathryn yawned. "Good night Kathryn.", Danse whispered.


	7. Day 7: One last time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kathryn and Danse are back at the Prydwen.  
> Maxson makes it more than clear what happens if they break his rules.  
> Will they comply?

The last day of their vacation was one of melancholy. It was filled with the memories of broken promises, intimacy, pain and confessions. The last week was, like Kathryn would describe it, bittersweet. She found out about the feelings of her commanding officer, his completely different side of gentleness and vulnerability, against the tough soldier he always was. Everything would change from now on, that was sure. Kathryn didn’t know if she should be happy or sad that all this had happened. It was still early at 9 in the morning. They had packed and were ready to go. Danse had made a little breakfast as a goodbye gift for the week he’d always remember.  
  
The electromagnetic smoke rose into the air. The two soldiers already had put on their power armors. Dogmeat could feel the change which was coming and the silence around him and his humans was unbearable. They didn’t speak much, only the necessities like if they still had enough fusion cores and cells, stimpaks and other supplies. Finally the vertibird descended in front of them, Kathryn ruffling Dogmeat’s fur one last time before she boarded. “Goodbye Dogmeat, be a good boy, won’t you?”, she said and the dog barked. Danse also ruffled the canine’s fur before he also boarded the vertibird.  
  
They both were lost in their thoughts as they flew across the Commonwealth. It always looked so peaceful from above. Beauty in destruction, any artist would say. Both Kathryn and Danse didn’t wear their helmets and the wind tousled their hair. The docking process brought them back to reality. The scribes and knights on the flight deck welcomed the duo home and they nodded in response. They went to go and visit Elder Maxson, just like he ordered them, at the command deck. He turned around, a micro smile on his face as he acknowledged the duo. Maxson only asked if their vacation was relaxing and both nodded. They’d get their new assignments in the next morning, until then they still had some spare time left. Kathryn and Danse walked to maintenance side by side and put away their power armors. Afterwards they went to their sleeping quarters, Kat to her bunk bed and Danse to his own rooms.  
  
Kathryn sighed putting away her stuff in the chest beside her bed. She sat down and held her head in her hands. Her hands were shaking madly and she felt that a panic attack boiled up. She began to ran. Her chest heaved and she needed to be somewhere else. Kathryn didn’t know it but she just ran into the arms of Paladin Danse. He was leaving his quarters, looking just as terrible as Kat felt. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and heavy breathing. He pulled her inside and closed the door and then led her to his bed where he carefully sat her down.  
  
Danse sat down next to her and grabbed her hands. “I can’t do this!”, she said. He looked at her with a furrowed brow. “Kathryn calm down. Tell me what you mean.” he gently stroke his thumbs over her hands, trying to calm her down. She took a few deep breaths and the trembling of her hands was gone. The warmth of Danse’s hands around hers brought her some comfort. “I can’t be alone. I... I don’t want to be alone. Danse, I can’t be here..!” And again she cried. He held her to his chest. “You’re not alone Kathryn. You never will, I promise.” He gently stroke her back and drew circles. Kathryn took a deep breath and looked at him.  
  
“Please, can I stay here with you?”, she begged him. He looked a little sad after that question.  
“I think that won’t go. I’m sure the Elder won’t allow that.”  
“Not even for one night?”  
He shook his head.  
“Then I am going to have a talk with him.”  
“Kathryn, you can’t do that. He’ll know why you ask. And fraternization is forbidden!”  
But she already was out of the door.  
  
The command deck was as empty as always, only Maxson and one guard were around. “Elder Maxson, Sir.”, Kathryn called out for the younger man. “Proceed, Knight.” Kathryn walked over to him, standing at attention. “I... I wanted to ask you something.” He turned around, a curious expression on his face. “What is it?”, he asked. “I... ugh... I wanted to know if it’s possible that Paladin Danse and I could stay in the same quarters. I just figured out that I can’t sleep alone anymore.”  
  
The young man was almost amused by that question. Kathryn’s face turned red as a smug smile crept onto his face. “Why is that so?”, was his next question. “We just... We agreed it would be better if anything would happen that one can protect the other...” Maxson’s eyes spoke loud and clear. His steely eyes were fixated on Kathryn’s blue pools. “I do not allow fraternization, _Knight_! If I ever hear something like that from my men talking about you, you both will face the consequences of getting stripped off your ranks and all your privileges. _Is that clear?!_ ” Kat was baffled. “Crystal clear. Thank you, Elder.” “Dismissed.” and he turned around to look out the huge panoramic window in front of him.  
  
She returned to the waiting Paladin. She closed the door behind her and walked to him. He looked distressed but to his surprise Kat smiled. “He’s fine with it.” “What, really?” Kathryn nodded and hugged him. “Danse...”, she sighed. He pulled her chin up so that she was facing him. “You’re incredible...”, he whispered and kissed her. She returned the kiss and he could feel how relieved she was. It put him at ease and he enjoyed the closeness.  
  
Kathryn broke the kiss and slowly took off her flight suit. Then she opened Danse’s flight suit too and peeled him out. Her hands were on him in seconds and she crashed her lips against his again. He hugged her into his chest and opened her bra. It fell down between them with a faint thud. Danse guided them back to the bed where Kathryn laid down. She pulled off her pantie and Danse took off his boxers. They looked at each other searching for any clues of discomfort. “Do you really want this?”, he asked. Kat nodded and pulled him close.  
  
He kissed her gently and began to trail from her lips down to her collarbone. Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders. One of his hands was gliding down at her side, leaving goosebumps from her arm down to her hip and continuing down her leg. She arched her back up so that their chests touched more. Danse placed himself carefully above her entrance and slowly moved down into her wet folds. A sigh escaped her and she smiled. Kathryn looked at Danse when he began to thrust into her. Her eyes were beaming with love and pleasure, just as his did.  
  
Kathryn’s hands were roaming down on Danse’s back squeezing the skin underneath her fingers. He closed his eyes as he kissed her again, searching her tongue with his. She responded and let him into her mouth, grazing his teeth with her own tongue. The pace of his thrusts was slow and steady. He didn’t just fuck her, he was making love. It drove Kathryn insane and the pleasure hit her in waves. She never felt something like that before when her climax came. He mouth was next to his ear and in the heat of the moment she whispered “I love you.” This sent Danse over into his own release, his body trembling and he looked at her.  
  
“Did... did you just say..?”, he tried to ask her, still trying to control his breathing. She nodded and a wide smile showed on her face. “Yes, I said _I love you_! Because, it is what I’m doing.” Kathryn’s smile began to fade. Before she was able to say another thing Danse pressed his lips on hers. “I love you too.”, he also whispered. He still laid on her unable to move. Kathryn hugged him as close as possible not stopping to pepper him with kisses. And eventually they both fell asleep.  
  
The next morning came harsh-like. They both knew this was the first and probably the last time they were able to tell and show each other what they felt. They would know it for ever, but with all the others around them it wouldn’t be possible to live just as Kathryn and Danse. The only thing they were able to do was watching each others back as best as possible. Or passing notes to each other in an unnoticeable way to the others around. Looking at each other was a risky game to play. People could interpret all sorts of things into such looks and go and tell the elder. Small gestures of affection like brushing each other in a delicate way... It was all impossible.  
  
So, before they left the room Danse took Kathryn into a dramatic hug and kissed her passionately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is their week of vacation.  
> I would have finished it sooner, but working from 5 am to 8:30 pm is taking it's toll damn hard.  
> I hope you enjoyed it. If so please feel free to leave your Kudos.
> 
> Thanks for reading <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and leaving Kudos :-)


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